Means for supplying and cooling rocket type combustion chambers



Feb. 2, 1954 R. H. GODDARD MEANS FOR SUPPLYING AND COOLING ROCKET TYPE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS Filed June 6, 1950 JNVENTOR. ROBERT H.GODDARD DEC'D. ESTHER C GODDARD, EXECUTPIX Patented Feb. 2, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR SUPPLYING AND COOLING ROCKET TYPE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS Application June 6, 1950, Serial No. 166,512

This invention relates to combustion chambers of the general type commonly used in rockets and rocket craft. Such combustion chambers are supplied with combustion elements in liquid form and these combustion liquids support continuous combustion. The highly-heated combustion gases are rapidly ejected through an open conical rearward discharge nozzle.

It is one important object of this invention to provide improved means for feeding fuel and oxidizing liquids to such a combustion chamber in concentric portions and for rapidly rotating each liquid portion as it is delivered into the combustion chamber through an axial and disclike nozzle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a special construction to prevent freezing of the liquid fuel by a very cold oxidizing liquid, such as liquid oxygen.

Supplemental means is also provided for sup plying additional liquid fuel at the periphery oi the combustion chamber and for thereby cooling the side wall of said chamber. This supplemental means in the preferred form contemplates the use of a porous combustion chamber wall and the provision of an outer wall or casing enclosing a jacket space about said wall and to be supplied with the liquid oxidizer.

The invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

Preferred forms of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of a combustion chamber embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of certain parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of additional parts shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional plan view showing a modified combustion chamber wall construction.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, a combustion chamber C is provided with an open rearward discharge nozzle N and with an end member Ill positioned opposite the nozzle N. The end member in has a conical outward extension H and a transverse plate I2 having a depressed middle portion M.

A plurality of concentric tubes to 24 are provided for the admission of a liquid fuel and a liquid oxidizer to the combustion chamber C. The tube 20 is mounted at the center of the conical extension H and the depressed portion l4 and is rigidly supported thereby.

The tubes 2| to 24 are concentrically mounted 1 Claim. (Cl. 60-35-43) within the tube 20 and are secured in spaced relation by radial vanes V (Fig. 2). A spiral-ribbed rotator 3'9 is mounted in the passage P in the tube 24, and annular spiral-ribbed rotators 3| and 32 are mounted in the annular passages P2 and P3 between the tubes 20 and 2i and the tubes 22 and 23 respectively. The rotators 30 and 3| are of one hand and the rotator 32 is of the opposite hand.

The passage P2 between the tubes 20 and 2| is a supply passage for a liquid oxidizer, as is also the passage P in the tube 24. The passage P3 between the tubes 22 and 23 is for the supply of a liquid fuel, as gasoline. The annular passages between the tubes 2| and 22 and between the tubes 23 and 24 are air passages to protect the liquid fuel in the passage P3 from the extremely cold liquid oxidizer in the passages P and P2.

The liquid oxidizer may be supplied direct from pump or storage to the passage P, and may be supplied to the outer annular passage P2 through a feed pipe 35. The'liquid fuel may be supplied to the passage P3 through a feed pipe 36. Both liquids are supplied under pressure.

The inner end of the tube 20 is connected to the upper portion 40 of a distributor D which is in the form of a downwardly convex double hollow disc entirely open at its periphery. The

outer or lower wall 43 of the double hollow disc or distributor D is held in position with respect to the upper portion 40 by cross pins 42 as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The inner ends of the tubes 2| to 24 are expanded as shown in Fig. 2 and extend into the space within the distributor D.

When liquid fuel and a liquid oxidizer are thus supplied under pressure to the concentric passages P, P2 and P3, these liquids are directed forcibly downward and outward into the distributor D. The liquid fuel is rapidly rotated in one direction between inner and outer portions of the liquid oxidizer which are rotating rapidly in the opposite direction. Very complete intermingling of the fuel and oxidizer is thus accomplished, and the thoroughly mixed combustion liquids are ejected all around the fullyopen periphery of the distributor D. Any ordinary igniter, such as a spark-plug 44, may be provided to start combustion.

It is usually necessary to cool the combustion chamber wall, and for this purpose additional liquid fuel may be supplied through a pipe 50 (Fig. 3) which communicates with an annular jacket space S. This space in turnis connected to the chamber C through an annular slot 52. The slot In the preferred construction, the wall 60 of v the chamber 0 is formed of porous but non-combustible material, and an outer casing 62 encloses an annular jacket space C2, to which space additional liquid oxidizer may be delivered through a feed pipe 63. This liquid oxidizer is commonly very cold and exerts an additional cooling effect on the wall 60. As the liquid oxidizer percolates through the porous wall 60, it completes combustion of any liquid fuel supplied through the pipe 50 and particularly of that portion of said liquid fuel which flows downward along the inner surface of the wall.

By the use of the feeding means above described, very complete combustion is attained and the operation of the combustion chamber is correspondingly effective and economical.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. 4, the chamber wall 10 is of refractory material and is reenforced by an outer metal casing I l. The wall 10 is provided with inclined openings '12, to which additional liquid oxidizer is supplied through a feed pipe 14 and branch connections 15. The inclined position of the feed openings 12 causes the liquid oxidizer to enter the chamber C2 in a more or less tangential direction, so that it will cool the wall and also effectively unite with the film of liquid fuel supplied through the slot 52.

Having thus described the invention and the advantages thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claim, but what is claimed is:

In a combustion chamber for propulsive use and having an open rearward discharge nozzle, in combination, feeding means for two liquid combustion elements comprising an axial member providing an axial passage for a liquid oxidizer, a tube surrounding said axial member and providing an intermediate passage for a liquid fuel, and an outer annular member surrounding said tube and providing an outer annular passage for additional liquid oxidizer, means in said tube and passages to rotate the fuel and oxidizer respectively in opposite directions, said axial member and tube and said tube and outer annular member being separated to provide annular insulating air spaces, and a double hollow and outwardly convex distributing disc being axially mounted on said outer annular member and with the outer ends of said axial member and tube outwardly flanged and projecting into the annular space between the upper and lower portions of the distributing disc with the combustible material discharged peripherally of said distributing disc.

ESTHER C. GODDARD. Executrz'a: of the last will and testament of Robert H. Goddard, deceased.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,451,063 Anthony Apr. 10, 1923 1,790,927 Kreager Feb. 3, 1931 1,989,164 Beckwith 1 Jan. 29, 1935 1,995,934 Marigold Mar. 26, 1935 2,064,914 I-Ieinzel 1- Dec. 22, 1936 2,183,313 Goddard Dec. 12, 1939 2,395,403 Goddard Feb. 26, 1946 2,515,645 Goddard July 18, 1950 2,536,600 Goddard Jan. 2, 1951 2,561,795 Hess et al -1 July 24, 1951 2,565,039 Mueller .1 Aug. 21, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 617,578 Great Britain Feb. 8, 1949 

